Henri
Cartier-Bresson:How to Shoot at Precisely the Decisive Moment

Henri Cartier-Bresson is famous for having the coined the
phrase “the decisive moment”. Since then, thousands of photographers have
pondered the meaning of this phrase which, for HCB, was not meant to be the phrase which would define his work
but more of a casual, unthought-out idea which he tossed into conversation.

Nonetheless, it’s recognisable in many street photography
shots and many photographers work to increase the chance of finding that
special moment when hand and eye work together perfectly to produce a photo in
which all the elements seem to add up to something more than the sum of the
parts. Perhaps it is a humorous moment, or a sad moment, but there is always a
story implied within the shot, and that tiny moment in time that can never be
repeated. The glee of the photographer is felt precisely because they know that
they have captured something unforgettable and something that will last
forever.

When I was in India in 2006, I was drifting around on the
street in an idle fashion when I saw three Muslim women walking towards me.
They were obviously aware of me and I didn’t want to be too intrusive with my
camera so I just kept an eye open until they had actually walked past me and
were about to go down another street.

I was still watching them when the woman on the extreme left
turned back towards me and as she did so I saw the word ‘freedom’ written on
the carrier bag – very clearly! That was the decisive moment for me and I
managed to capture it because I was ready at every level.

The shot was taken using shutter speed priority which meant
I could freeze the motion, and I had an ISO of 200 which was good for the full
sunlight of an India afternoon.

I love the photo because it highlights the Western media
view of Muslim women as oppressed and for which the veil has become a symbol.
In my travels throughout the world, this has not been my experience and I
believe that Muslim women, by and large, choose to wear a veil or not,
depending on their personal beliefs, and that it is not something imposed on
them by men. If you are interested in this topic, you can read my article on The Media
Debate on How Muslim Women Dress by following the link.

So the decisive moment can, and does, come when you least
expect it. This means you must be ready with the right settings on your camera
but be patient, ready to grab the opportunity when it arises. With time and
practice you will develop an instinct for this kind of shot and then the odds
of getting more ‘decisive’ moments will increase.

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